The Mikel Artetas, the Santi Cazorlas, Tomas Rosickys, and Mesut Özil as well, although I know he’s not played for a bit, it seems like they go on the pitch with no discipline. It’s almost as if they say: ‘you four, five midfielders, go out there do what you want. Try and score a goal, a few little nice one-twos, a bit of tippy-tappy football. Don’t bother running back’.

I don’t know if that’s what the manager does, it just seems that way. They just seem to be midfield players with no discipline. There are no leaders, there’s no Patrick Vieira, there’s no (Tony) Adams, there’s no Martin Keown.

There are different types of leaders. Keown and Adams were the sort to lay into their team-mates when necessary. Vieira was naturally more quiet, but led by example with his outstanding midfield displays.

Such players are famously difficult to acquire. However, in this piece, we try to identify five players who could bring leadership and influence to the Arsenal squad.

Victor Valdes, Barcelona

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Victor Valdes is probably the most valuable asset available on a Bosman transfer this year. Having suffered a cruel cruciate ligament injury, the Spanish international has now played his last game for Barcelona.

Come the summer, he will move on in search of a new challenge.

Arsenal have an excellent goalkeeper in Wojciech Szczesny. However, they will lose Lukasz Fabianski when his contract expires in June. Adding Valdes would give Arsenal depth and experience in one of the most important positions on the pitch. Szczesny could learn plenty from a goalkeeper with Valdes' remarkable trophy haul.